Pattern chain control means for knitting



Nov. 11, 1969 BOYER, JR 3,477,253

PATTERN CHAIN CONTROL MEANS FOR KNITTING Filed April 29, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fla-m1.

Z /2 //7 M a Nov. 11, 1969 J, H. BOYER, JR 3,477,253

PATTERN C HAIN CONTROL MEANS FOR KNITTING Filed April 29. 1968 Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6/ F1. E- Q.'

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PATTERN CHAINTJONTROL MEANS FOR KNITTING 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 29. 1968 United States Patent US. Cl. 66-40 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Mechanism for controlling the operation of a pattern chain of a knitting machine including a ratchet associated with the chain, a main pawl acting on the ratchet for continuously indexing the chain in steps of the same extent throughout a fabric knitting cycle of the machine, a second pawl adapted to act on the ratchet, and pattern means for controlling the operation of the second pawl to index the chain an additional step of the same extent as the main pawl following predetermined indexing steps of the chain by the main pawl. The pattern means for controlling the second pawl also controls the operation of mechanism for forming tuck stitch size markings in the fabric.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention is directed to means for controlling the operation of a knitting machine adapted to knit fabrics such as ladies stockings and the like including a pattern chain, a main indexing means for continuously indexing the pattern chain in steps of the same extent throughout a knitting cycle of the machine to form a stocking of one length or size, a second or auxiliary indexing means for the chain and pattern means for controlling the operation of the auxiliary indexing means to index the pattern chain .an additional step or steps of the same extent as the main indexing means, following predetermined indexing steps of the chain by the main indexing means, to reduce the length or size of the stocking knit during a knitting cycle of the machine. The pattern means controlling the auxiliary indexing means also controls mechanism for forming tuck stitch size markings which vary in number according to the size of the stocking formed.

Description of the prior art conventionally circular knitting machines are provided with pattern chains having a predetermined number of links to form a stocking of one predetermined size and the chain is indexed in steps of the same extent throughout each stocking knitting cycle of the machine. When different size stockings are required links are removed from the chain to form a smaller size stocking and links are added to the chain to form a larger size stocking.

In order to eliminate the necessity of adding links to or removing links from the chain when theh stocking size is to be charge attempts were made to control the effective length of the chain by modifying the operation of the chain indexing means. In one form of mechanism for this purpose, disclosed in Patent No. 2,238,820, issued Apr. 15, 1941, the chain is indexed by a main pawl in one-third link steps in the conventional manner to form one size stocking. In order to form stockings of two diiferent sizes with the same chain an auxiliary pawl was provided to additionally index the chain through either a one-third or a two-third link movement under the control of diiferent height cams on a main cam drum of the machine. When stockings of other sizes were to be made links were added or removed from the chain.

In another form of mechanism for modifying the effective length of the chain to change the stocking sizes, disclosed in Patent No. 2,829,510, issued Apr. 8, 1958, the indexing pawls for the chain is inactivated for diti'erent length periods by a manually adjusted first pattern means. The mechanism of this patent also includes a second pattern means which is manually adjusted with the first pattern means to vary the frequency of size markings formed by size marking mechanism provided on the machine. Separate means are provided to control the operation of the first and second pattern means since the first pattern means is operative to control size changes in the leg and foot of the stockings and the second pattern means is operative to control insertion of size markings in the welt.

In a still further form of mechanism for modifying the effective length of the chain to change stocking sizes, disclosed in Patent No. 3,290,903, issued Dec. 13, 1966, the chain is indexed by a single pawl which is moved through indexing movements sutiicient to index the chain in twothird link steps. The operation of the pawl is controlled by a cam plate which is normally positioned to permit the pawl to index chain in one-third link steps throughout a stocking knitting cycle to form a stocking of one size and the cam plate is moved to a second position to permit the pawl to index the chain in two-third link steps to change the stocking size. The cam is moved to its second position under the control of two manually presettable numbers one of which controls size changes in the leg and the other of which controls size changes in the foot of the stocking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly summarized the invention resides in the provision of means for operating the pattern chain of a circular knitting machine including a main pawl for continuously indexing the chain in normal one-third link steps throughout a knitting cycle to control the formation of a stocking of'one size and an auxiliary pawl adapted when active to index the chain an additional one-third link step following indexing movements of the chain by the main pawl to change the effective length of the chain and hence change the size of the stocking formed there-- by. The period the auxiliary pawl is in its active position is controlled by a single reader lever which is manually adjustable to read different length cam paths on an indexible auxiliary cam drum. The single reader lever is also adapted to read other dilferent length cams on the auxiliary cam drum for actuating size marking mechanism of the machine to insert tuck stitch size markings in the stocking which vary in number according to the stockv ing size determined by the setting of the reader lever.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a main cam drum and pattern chain mechanism of a circular knitting machine having means according to the instant invention associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view of the mechanism as seen from the left of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view, with parts in section, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a developed view on a reduced scale of certain of the control cams of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a view, with parts in section and other parts broken away, taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 77 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a elevational view with parts in section of operating means for the reverse stitch cam of the machine;

FIG. 9 is a elevational view of a conventional quadrant gear of the machine for operating mechanism of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a view taken in the direction of the arrows 10-10 of FIG. 8.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 7 there is shown portions of a pattern means, generally of the type shown in US. Patent No. 2,411,303, issued Nov. 19, 1946, for controlling the operation of a circular knitting machine for knitting seamless ladies stockings the pattern means including a cam drum 10 which is secured to a shaft 11 rotatably mounted in portions of the frame of the machine, indicated at 12 in FIG. 7, and a link type chain 15 which is trained around a sprocket 16 rotatably mounted on the shaft 11 and idler sprockets (not shown) in the conventional manner. The cam drum 10 has an associated ratchet which is actuated by a pawl operated by a rock shaft 17 for the quadrant gear 20 of the machine (FIG. 9) under the control of lugs on the chain 15 to intermittently rack the cam drum generally in the manner set forth in said Patent No. 2,411,303.

Associated with the sprocket 16 for the chain 15 is a ratchet 21 which is acted on by a main pawl 22 pivotally mounted on a stud 25 carried in a lever 26 secured to the rock shaft 17 (FIG. 7). The lever 26 and pawl 22 are moved during each oscillating movement of the rock shaft 17 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 7, to continuously index the chain in one-third link movements for each four rotations, or one forward and back reciprocatory movements of the needle cylinder throughout a stocking knitting cycle of the machine in the usual manner. The needle cylinder, a portion of which is shown at 28 in FIG. 8, has the usual latch type needles 29.

In accordance with the instant invention the chain is provided with sufiicient links to control the machine in forming the largest size stocking required and means is provided to increase the frequency of the indexing movement of the chain to vary its effective length to change the size of the stocking. For this purpose the ratchet 21 is adapted to be acted on by a second auxiliary pawl 27 having one end pivotally connected to a lever 30 mounted for pivotal movement on a stud 31 carried in fixed position in the frame 12. A spring 32 connected between the lever 30 and frame 12 normally biases the lever counterclockwise into engagement with a stop screw 35 adjustably carried in the frame 12 (FIG. 7) to reset the auxiliary pawl 27 following each movement thereof in the indexing direction. A second lever 36, secured to the shaft 17, is moved during oscillating movements of the shaft 17 in the counterclockwise direction to engage and turn the lever 30 clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 7, to move the auxiliary pawl to index the chain a further one-third link following the one-third link movement of the chain by pawl 22 when the auxiliary pawl is permitted to engage the ratchet 21 as hereinafter set forth.

The auxiliary pawl 27 is normally held in a raised inactive position above the teeth of the ratchet 21, as in FIG. 7, and is moved to active position to engage the ratchet to increase the frequency of the indexing movements of the chain for predetermined periods for purposes hereinbefore set forth. For controlling the movement of the auxiliary pawl between inactive and active positions a free end portion 37 of the pawl is adapted to rest on an eccentric portion 40 of a stud 41 adjustably carried in one arm 42 of a lever 45. The lever 45, which is pivotally mounted on a stud 46 fixed in a part of the frame 12, has a second arm 47 connected by a spring 50 to the pawl 22, the spring acting to bias the pawl into engagement with the ratchet 21 and tending to bias the lever counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 7, f9!" purposes he einafter set forth.

The arm 42 of lever 45 is connected by a Bowden wire 51 to one arm 52 of a lever 55 pivotally mounted on a stud 56 fixed in one arm 57 of a bracket 60 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 7). The bracket 60 is mounted on a shaft 61 carried in a bracket 62 and a portion of the frame 12 to which the bracket 62 is secured, the shaft 61 also providing a support for the pattern levers (not shown) associated with the cam drum 10. A second arm 65 of the bracket 60 has a slot 66 opening outwardly from the free end thereof for receiving a key-like portion 67 projecting from a bearing member 70 secured to the bracket 62 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5). The slot 66 and portion 67 act to prevent rotation of the bracket 60 on the shaft 61. One face of arm 65 of bracket 60 has an elongated slot 71 for receiving a pin-like portion 72 projecting from a portion 74 of a cylindrical member 75, the portion 74 being mounted for turning movement in a bore 77 in the bearing member 70 (FIGS. 3 and 5). The member has a portion 76, reduced in diameter with respect to the portion 74, which is in interfitting engagement with a second bore 80 in the bearing member 70. A shoulder 81 on the member 75 between portions 74 and 76 thereof is maintained in engagement with a shoulder 82 formed in the bearing member 70 between bores 77 and 80 by a hand wheel 85 which is secured to the portion 76 by screws 86 (FIG. 3).

The center of the pin-like portion 72 is eccentric to the axial center of the member 75 so that upon manual rotation of the handwheel 85 and member 75 the pinlike portion is moved along an arcuate path indicated at 87 (FIG. 5) to shift the bracket 60 and lever 55 axially of the shaft 61 to preselected positions thereon as determined by engagement of a spring pressed ball 90, carried in the bearing member 70, with indentations 91 in the handwheel as shown in FIG. 3, for purposes hereinafter set forth.

The lever 55 is provided with a second arm 92 having a nose 95 adapted for reading engagement with cam blocks 96 and 97 secured to the outer periphery of an auxiliary cam drum 100. As shown in FIG. 6 the cam 96 has a trailing end 101 extending on a line parallel to the axis of the drum 100. The other or leading end of cam block 96 has a long step portion 102 and a plurality of progressively shorter step portions 105. Likewise, the cam block 97 has a trailing end 106 extending on a line parallel to the axis of the drum and the leading end of this cam block has a long step portion 107 and a plurality of progressively shorter step portions 110. The long step portion 102 of cam block 96 abuts the trailing end 106 of the cam block 97 and the long step portion 107 of the latter abuts the trailing end 101 of the cam block 96. When the nose 95 of the lever 55 is aligned with the long step portions of the cam blocks 96 and 97, the cams define a continuous high cam path which acts to maintain the lever 55 in its position of FIG. 4 and the lever 45 in its position of FIG. 7 to hold the pawl 27 in an inactive position throughout the stocking knitting cycle of the machine. When the nose of lever 55 is aligned with one of the short step portions of the cam block 96 and the corresponding short step portion of cam block 97, the lever is acted on by a cam path that includes high portions defined by the cam blocks to position the lever 55 and lever 45 to maintain the pawl in inactive position as above noted. The cam path also includes low portions defined by the outer peripheral surface of the cam drum 100 which permit movement of the levers 55 and 45 in a counterclockwise direction under the influence of the spring 50 and a spring 108 connected between the arm 52 of lever 55 and the bracket 60 (FIG. 4) to permit movement of the pawl 27 to active position for periods determined by the distance between the trailing ends and stepped ends of the cam blocks.

The cam drum 100 is rotatably mounted on a bearing member 111 between a flange 112 of the bearing m mber and a disc 115 secured by screws 116 to the bearing member as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The flange 112 is secured to an end portion 117 of the cam drum so that at times the bearing member 111 and cam drum 10 may be rotated relative to the auxiliary cam drum 100 when the latter is idle and at other times the auxiliary cam drum may be rotated when the main cam drum is idle.

For rotating the auxiliary cam drum 100 it is provided with a ratchet portion 129 the teeth of which are acted on by a pawl 121 pivotally mounted on a stud 122 carried in a plate 125 secured by screws 126 to an end of the rock shaft 17 (FIGS. 1 and 4). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 the bottom of the teeth of ratchet portion 120 are below an outer peripheral surface 127 of flange 112, the surface 127 acting to support the pawl 121 during movements to index the auxiliary cam drum and during idling movements to idle the auxiliary cam drum as hereinafter set forth. The pawl 121 is idled by an idling space 130 which is formed by omitting one tooth at the appropriate location in the ratchet 120 when the nose 95 of the lever 55 is in engagement with the cam block 96. The pawl 121 is also idled by an idling space 131 which is formed by two low teeth in the ratchet 120 which are at the same level or slightly below the level of the surface 127 of the flange 112 (FIG. 4) when the nose of lever 55 is in engagement with the cam block 97. A pin 132 projecting from the disc 115 is adapted to engage a pin 135 extending from the auxiliary cam drum 100 during an indexing movement of the main cam drum 10 to advance the auxiliary drum and remove the idling space 130 from beneath the pawl 121 to permit the pawl to start indexing the ratchet 120 and auxiliary cam drum. The pawl 121 also sta-rts indexing the auxiliary cam drum when the pawl is permitted to engage the low teeth of the idling space 131 in the ratchet 120 by a low portion 136 of the surface 127 of the flange 112 which is moved beneath the pawl 121 during an indexing move of the cam drum 10, as hereinafter set forth. The teeth of the ratchet 120 are engaged by a detent 138 carried on the bracket 62 (FIG. 4) to prevent. movement of the cam drum 100 during indexing and resetting movements of the pawl 121.

The arm 52 of the lever 55 is also connected by a Bowden wire 137 to a plate 140 (FIGS. 8 and 10) pivotally mounted on a stud 141 carried in a fixed part 142 of the frame 12. The plate 140, which forms a part of means hereinafter referred to as a size marking mechanism, has an aperture 145 adapted to looselly receive the upper end of a rod 146. The lower end of the rod 146 is pivotally connected to a lever 147 pivoted on a stud 150 fixed in a part 151 of the frame 12 (FIG. 9). The lever 147 is engaged and turned counterclockwise by a pin 152 carried in the quadrant gear during each oscillating movement thereof in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 9, to raise the rod 146 from a position determined by engagement of a collar 155, secured on the upper end of the rod, with the upper face of the plate 140. The lever 147 and rod 146 are returned to their positions of FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively, by gravity during each oscillating movement of the quadrant gear 20 in the counterclockwise direction.

A stop screw 156 adjustably carried in the upper end of the rod 146 is adapted to engage one arm 157 of a lever 160 pivoted on a stud 161 fixed in the frame 12 (FIG. 8). The lever 160 has a second airm 162 which is pivotally connected by a link 165 to a bar 166. The bar 166, which carries a reverse stitch cam 167 of the main knitting station of the machine, is mounted for radial sliding movement relative to the needle cylinder 28 in a usual manner. The plate 140 is positioned by the Bowden wire 137 when the lever 55 is in engagementwith the cam blocks 96 and 97 or the outer surface of the auxiliary cam drum 100, as hereinbefore set forth, to hold the upper end of the rod 146 and the stop screw 156 thereon out of the path of the arm 157 of the lever 160 during raising movements of the rod 146 by the quadrant gear as above set forth. The lever 55 is adapted to be moved a further distance in a clockwise direction from its position of FIG. 4 by a cam block 171 secured to the cam block 96 to move the plate 140 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 10, to in turn move the rod 146 and stop screw 156 into active position beneath the arm 157 of the lever 160. In this position the stop screw 156 is moved to engage the arm 157 during raising movements of the rod 146 to turn lever 160 clockwise to partially retract the slide 166 to a position in which the reverse stitch cam 167 misses short butts of spaced needles 29 thereby permitting such short butt needles to remain at tucking level to from tuck stitch size markings as the needles pass through the main knitting station. The cam block 171 has different length portions similarly to cam blocks 96 and 97 which act through the lever 55 to move the rod 146 into active position for different time periods to insert a number of tuck stitch markings in accordance with the size stocking being formed by the position of the lever 55 in relationship to the different length portions of the cam blocks 96 and 97.

At the start of a stocking knitting cycle of the machine the le er 55 is aligned with one of the different length portions of cam blocks 96 and 97 corresponding to the size of the stocking to be formed and the corresponding length portion of cam block 171 to operate the size marking mechanism to insert the required number of tuck stitch size markings in the stocking. Also at this time the nose of the lever 55 is in engagement with the cam block 96 between the stepped end thereof and the cam block 171 to hold the auxiliary pawl 27 in the raised inactive position of FIG. 7 so that the chain is only indexed by the main pawl 22 and to hold the plate 140 in the position of FIG. 10 to retain the rod 146 in inactive position in relationship to the lever 160 thereby permitting the bar 166 and the reverse stitch cam 167 to remain in a fully in position to act on the butts of all of the needles to raise them to clearing level in the usual manner. Also at this time the idling space in the ratchet 120 is beneath the pawl 121 to idle the auxiliary cam drum 100. At the appropriate time during the formation of the welt of the stocking an indexing move of the main cam drum 10 moves the pin 132 on the disc 115 to engage the pin and advance the auxiliary cam drum 100 to remove the idling space 130 from beneath the pawl 121 thereby permitting it to start indexing the auxiliary cam drum. As the pawl 121 continues to index the auxiliary cam drum the nose 95 engages the cam block 171 to turn lever 55 clockwise from its position of FIG. 4 to move the plate and rod 146 into active position to partially retract the reverse stitch cam 167, so as to cause it to miss the short butt needles and cause these needles to form tuck stitch markings, as above set forth during each oscillation of the quadrant gear 20 in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 7. It is believed to be obvious that when the lever 55 is in engagement with the cam block 171 the position of the lever 55 is such as to move lever 45 to raise the pawl 27 to a higher inactive position in relationship to the ratchet 21.

During continued operation of the pawl 121 to index the auxiliary cam drum 100 the nose 95 rides off of the cam block 171 and the lever 55 is moved counterclockwise by the spring 50 to engage the cam block 96 to maintain the pawl 27 in raised inactive position and to move the plate 140 and rod 146 to inactive position in relationship to the lever thereby permitting movement of the bar 166 and reverse stitch cam 167 to fully in position to again act on all of the needles. The pawl 121 then continues to index the auxiliary cam drum until it is inactivated by the idling space 131. When the lever 55 is aligned with the continuous cam path defined by the long step portions 102 and 107 of the cam blocks 96 and 97 the lever 55 remains in its position of FIG. 4 to maintain the auxiliary pawl 27 in inactive position as the nose 95 of the lever 55 rides from the cam block 96 onto the cam block 97. On the other hand when the lever 55 is aligned with the shorter stepped portions of the cam blocks, the nose 95 rides off the trailing end 101 of the cam block 96 thereby permitting movement of the lever 55 in the counterclockwise direction under the influence of springs 50 and 108 to permit movement of the pawl 27 to active position to index the chain with the main pawl 22 which action occurs in the leg portions of the stocking. The pawl 27 then remains in active position until the lever 55 is again moved to its position of FIG. 4 by engagement with the cam block 97. Thereafter the pawl 121 continues to index the drum 100 until the idling space 131 is moved beneath the pawl.

During the formation of the foot portion of the stocking an indexing move of the main cam drum moves the low surface 136 in the flange 112 beneath the pawl 121 thereby permitting it to engage the low teeth of the idling space 131 to again start indexing the drum 100 until the idling space 130 is again moved beneath this pawl. When, as above set forth, the lever 55 is aligned with the continuous cam path defined by the cam blocks 96 and 97 the nose 95 rides from the cam block 97 to the cam block 96 to maintain the auxiliary pawl 27 in inactive position. However, when the lever 55 is aligned with shorter stepped portions of the cam blocks the nose 95 of lever 55 rides off the trailing end 106 of the cam block 97 to permit movement of the lever in the counterclockwise direction under the influence of the springs 50 and 108 to permit the pawl 27 to move to active position and index the chain with the main pawl 22. The lever 55 is again moved to the position of FIG. 4 to inactivate the auxiliary pawl 27 when it engages the cam block 96 and the pawl 121 continues to index the auxiliary cam drum 100 until the idling space 130 is moved beneath the pawl.

It is believed to be obvious from the foregoing that the mechanism of the invention provides a single adjustable control member which is movable to a first position under the control of pattern means to permit actuation of an auxiliary pawl to index the pattern chain of a circular knitting machine to increase the frequency of the indexing movements of the chain normally provided by a main pawl associated with the pattern chain to change the size of stockings formed during Operating cycles thereof, to a second position to inactivate the auxiliary pawl while the main pawl continues to index the chain at a normal frequency and to a third position to maintain the auxiliary pawl inactivated and to activate size marking mechanism of the machine to insert tuck stitch size markings in the stockings according to the stocking sizes determined by the adjusted position of the control member.

It will be understood that the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained can be changed and modified in various ways 'without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder, needles in said cylinder adapted to be operated to form courses of a stocking fabric, means for acting on certain of said needles to cause said certain needles to form size markings in courses of said fabric, a pattern chain having a predetermined length, and a first indexing means continuously indexing said pattern chain through a complete operating cycle during a stocking knitting cycle of the machine to form a stocking of predetermined size, the improvement comprising a second indexing means for said pattern chain, a single control member for said second indexing means and said means for acting on said certain needles, and means for controlling movement of said single cotrol member between a plurality of positions to activate said second indexing means for indexing said pattern chain with said first indexing means to change the effective length of said pattern chain and thereby change the size of the stocking and to inactivate said second indexing means and to operate said means for acting on said certain needles.

2. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said means acting on said certain needles includes a stitch cam movable between a first position to act on the butts of all of the needles to form said courses of said stocking fabric and to a second position to cause said certain needles to form said size markings, and means for moving said stitch cam from said first and said second positions, and said controlling means includes a first means for controlling the movement of said single control member between a first position to activate said second indexing means and a second position to inactivate said second indexing means, and a second means for controlling the movement of said single control member to a third position to activate said moving means for said stitch cam.

3. In a machine according to claim 2 in which said controlling means includes an auviliary cam drum and said first means of said controlling means comprises a first cam means on said auxiliary cam drum for controlling the movement of said single control member between said first and second positions and said second means of said controlling means comprises a second cam means on said auxilary cam drum for controlling the movement of said single control member between said second and third positions.

4. In a machine according to claim 3 in which said first cam means includes one portion defining a continuous surface for holding said single control member in said second position throughout an operating cycle of said pattern chain and a plurality of different length portions for controlling the movement of said single control member from said second position to said first position for different time periods during operating cycles of said pattern chain, and said second cam means includes a plurality of different length portions for controlling the movement of said single member from said second position to said third position for different time periods, and there is means for aligning said single control member with said one and said different length portions of said first cam means and said different length portions of said second cam means.

5. In a machine according to claim 4 in which said first cam means includes first and second cam members, and different length portions on said first and second cam members, and said second means is provided with different length portions, said different length portions of said first and second cam members acting to control the movement of said single member from said second position to said first position for diflerent time periods during first and second portions of said operating cycle of said pattern chain and said different length portions of said second cam means acting to control the movement of said single control member from said second position to said third position in a third portion of said operating cycle of said pattern chain.

6. A machine according to claim 3 in which there is a main cam drum adapted to be operated in steps to control operations of said machine, and there is means for indexing said auxiliary cam drum including a pawl, a ratchet on said auxiliary cam drum, means for operating said pawl to index said ratchet and auxiliary cam drum, first and second idling spaces in said ratchet adapted to be moved beneath said pawl to idle said pawl and said auxilary cam drum, first means for advancing said auxiliary cam drum to remove said first idling space from beneath said pawl to permit it to start indexing said auxiliary cam drum, and second means for advancing said auxiliary cam drum to remove said second idling space from beneath said pawl to permit it to start indexing said auxiliary cam drum.

7. A machine according to claim 6 in which said first advancing means for said auxiliary cam drum comprises cooperating members on said main and auxiliary cam drums, and said cooperating members are operated during an operating step of said main cam drum to advance said auxiliary cam drum.

8. A machine according to claim 6 in which said second idling space comprises at least one short tooth in said ratchet, and said second advancing means includes said pawl, means for holding said pawl in a first position out of engagement with said short tooth, and means for permitting movement of said pawl to a second position to engage said short tooth to advance said auxiliary cam drum.

9. In a machine according to claim 8 in which said means for holding said pawl in said first position comprises a flange on said main cam drum, and said means permitting movement of said pawl to said second position comprises a low surface on said flange, said low surface on said flange being moved beneath said pawl during an operating step of said main cam drum.

10. In a machine according to claim 4 in which said aligning means for said single control member includes a bracket on which said single control member is pivotally mounted, a shaft on which said bracket is mounted, and means for moving said bracket axially of said shaft to align said single control member with said one and different length portions of saidfirst cam means and said different length portions of said second cam means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,034,346 7/1912 Cottrell et a1. 66155 XR 1,872,598 8/1932 Lawson et a1. 66-40 2,827,780 3/1958 Mahler 6640 WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 66155 

